Thingster:jonny_q: UsikFark: Nope. You can do studies with intoxicated drivers on closed courses in the US.

On Mythbusters, they're on a closed course, but they're not allowed to go over the legal limit, and they always have a cop with a breathalyzer on hand. That may be a California law, and there may be other testing organizations that get exemptions that Mythbusters doesn't, but at least on the show that's the deal.

That's either a Cali thing or (more likely) insurance based.

If you're on the restricted side of a locked gate, you can be blind drunk and still be legal to drive.

With them, it's inevitably insurance based. There are a lot of limitations put on them by their insurer, and rightfully so.

jonny_q:UsikFark: Nope. You can do studies with intoxicated drivers on closed courses in the US.

On Mythbusters, they're on a closed course, but they're not allowed to go over the legal limit, and they always have a cop with a breathalyzer on hand. That may be a California law, and there may be other testing organizations that get exemptions that Mythbusters doesn't, but at least on the show that's the deal.

That's either a Cali thing or (more likely) insurance based.

If you're on the restricted side of a locked gate, you can be blind drunk and still be legal to drive.